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Books

January 02, 2010

It's a song, a book, and a place. The book and physical location were named after the song.

"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains there's a land that's fair and brightWhere the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every nightWhere the boxcars are all empty and the sun shines every dayOn the birds and the bees and the cigarette treesWhere the lemonade springs where the bluebird singsIn the Big Rock Candy Mountains

"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legsAnd the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggsThe farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hayOh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snowWhere the rain don't fall and the wind don't blowIn the Big Rock Candy Mountains

"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you never change your socksAnd the little streams of alcohol come a-trickling down the rocksThe brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blindThere's a lake of stew and of whiskey tooYou can paddle all around 'em in a big canoeIn the Big Rock Candy Mountains

"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tinAnd you can walk right out again as soon as you are inThere ain't no short handled shovels, no axes saws or picksI'm a goin to stay where you sleep all dayWhere they hung the jerk that invented workIn the Big Rock Candy Mountains."

By Harry McClintock

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The book, The Big Rock Candy Mountain, is written by Wallace Stegner. I've told you before that I have a new author love in Wallace Stegner. My friends at book group don't necessarily agree, they think he's overly descriptive. That's probably part of what I love about him, because he's describing my homeland.

Anything beyond the Missouri was close to home, at least. He was a westerner, whatever that was. The moment he crossed the Big Sioux and got into the brown country where the raw earth showed, the minute the grass got sparser and the air dryer and the service stations less grandiose and the towns rattier, the moment he saw his first lonesome shack on the baking flats with a tipsy windmill creaking away at the reluctant underground water, he knew approximately where he belonged.

This book had even more of what is familiar to me. A large part of the story takes place in Salt Lake, with intimate details that show Stegner's love of the places we both know well.

Stegner knows my people too. I read once that if any of his books could be considered autobiographical it would be this one. In those same readings it said that his feelings towards Mormons were respectful and understanding. When I read these lines I wondered if he referred to the Mormon culture that surrounded him during his years in Salt Lake City, "To belong to a clan, to a tight group of people allied by blood and loyalties and the mutual ownership of closeted skeletons. To see the family vices and virtues in a dozen avatars instead of in two or three." (I assume the closeted skeletons he refers to here, if he's thinking of Mormons specifically, is polygamy.)

This book was about many things, but one that stood out to me was family. Who we are, where we come from, what home is, if we're more of our mother or our father, or half of both, or all our own.

There also was the theme of work, and conversely, the making of a quick buck. Which is what the book title and song refer to. Stegner wrote, "The hobo Heaven, the paradise of the full belly and the lazy backside. That was where his family had been headed for all his life... So when, he said, do we get enough sense to quit looking for something for nothing?" It's especially applicable because the book was set during the Great Depression when there were many men roaming the country without work, looking for the Big Rock Candy Mountain. It seems applicable today too. But maybe we'd sing about Ponzi schemes that never run out and government defecits disappear while we laze on the shores on our credit card-financed vacation.

I enjoy the epic book, a book that shows a character's development across a time. This book delivered with a poignant intimacy. There is some that could have been edited, if it was autobiographical then I attribute his stayed hand to personal investment in the details. It's a good book to invest time in, however long it takes you to read over 550 pages. There are many themes to think over, but it's not overwhelmingly preachy.

Soon I'd like to read Stegner's bio or one of his books about Mormons (this one even has a Minerva Tiechart painting on the cover), I'm interested in his perspective.

December 08, 2009

The new oven is here, and heating up. It looks similar to the old oven. Somehow I still can't get excited about cooking dinner. Maybe I need new shoes to wear while I make dinner on my new stove?

On Sunday, when I was asked to speak at a meeting, the person asking me said that when they think of me they think of the scriptures. That was surprising. It was flattering though. I hope she meant it in a spiritual way - not that I'm bulky and add too much weight to her church bag.

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It is really hard for me to shop for family members who are far away. I love thinking about all of you, and about what you'd like but it makes me sad to know that I won't be there to watch you open the gift or see you use it. Not to mention the fact that I could be so out of touch with you that the gift I get is one you already have or don't really want. I love giving gifts, but this long distance stuff just sucks. It sucks big time. So don't be mad at me if your gift arrives at the last minute. It's just me procrastinating because I miss you.

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When I was a kid I hated it when adults would shorten Christmas to X-mas. It literally takes the Christ out of Christmas. But in this world where so few people don't have Christ at the center of their Christmas celebrations it seems very fitting.

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I'm trying to think of what I should do tonight to get a little more Christmas spirit. The kids want to build the gingerbread house. That's all well and sugary, but doesn't really promote peace on earth and good will towards men (fighting over candy). How about driving around to see Christmas lights? Will that just result in fighting in the car? Then again, usually the last thing DH wants when he gets home from work is to turn around and walk out the door again.

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Actually it's library bookgroup tonight. I haven't even thought about getting the book. With everything going on (lots and a final exam on Friday) I get the feeling I just have to let that bookgroup slide. I wasn't thrilled about the books anyway (tonight it was Revolutionary Road).

Right now I'm reading Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner and A Christmas Carol by Dickens. I'm enjoying both. Actually, I'm surprised at what an enjoyable read Christmas Carol is, usually I find writing from that time period to be stuffy. Dickens does funny rambling asides, kind of like me. At least the rambling part. I bought a really cool book for the family for Christmas, but I don't want to ruin the surprise so I won't say what. I might have to go into the closet and read it before I wrap it.

December 03, 2009

To some people it's science fiction. Recently I read a quote from a Mormon woman author that explained the plethora of successful sci-fi writers in Mormonism by way of our belief in things labeled "unbelievable" by others. (Sorry can't remember exactly who said it, or where I read it! It might have been Shannon Hale.)

Others might say that Mormon genre is a tiny corner of the religious literature genre.

Many teenage girls would say that Mormon literature is all about vampires.

There is a new site dedicated to Mormon fiction and the opening post doesn't mention any of these possibilities. This paragraph is my favorite (even though I'm posting this you still need to read the full post!):

England’s essay suggests that for Mormon authors to create great literature, they will have a “special respect for language and form” while at the same time draw upon the theological and historical realities of our unique Mormon heritage. England stresses that the themes available to the Mormon artist do not come from our trivial peculiarities, but rather from our unique theology and history. As England states, “I don’t mean irrigation and polygamy and Lamanite warriors but rather a certain epic consciousness and mythic identification with ancient peoples and processes: the theme of exile and return, of the fruitful journey into the wilderness; the pilgrim traveling the dark and misty way to the tree of salvation; the lonely quest for selfhood that leads to conversion and then to the paradox of community; the desert as crucible in which to make saints, not gold; the sacramental life that persists in spiritual experience and guileless charity despite physical and cultural deprivation; the fortunate fall from innocence and comfort into a lone and dreary world where opposition and tragic struggle can produce virtue and salvation.” These themes, argues England, would “nurture” the artist’s imagination “with the most challenging and liberating set of metaphysical possibilities and paradoxes.” Great Mormon literature can only come from Mormon artists who know their Mormon literary heritage, know the forms of their genre, and simultaneously take their craft and their faith seriously.

Which leaves me feeling that I need to take a literature class. Mormon genre doesn't have to be overtly religious to be associated with religion.

I think Orson Scott Card has taken on this challenge by England. I haven't read a lot of his books, but my sister has (feel free to chime in) and she pointed out to me that many of his plots deal with story lines that would be familiar to an educated Mormon, while those not familiar with our liturgy have no idea that the basic story is a re-run.

Not that I'm calling Card a plagarist or anything. This is the stuff of literature, you are inspired to write by what you've read. How would we know how to write if we didn't read? It happens in every area of the arts, inspiration comes from other artists and sources. I like the thought that ultimately everything we are inspired by, the whole world surrounding us and engulfing us, is made by God so we will never be anything more than children mimicking our ultimate parent.

Books and writing expand my soul. Despite this I find myself trying to justify the time I spend on them, especially fiction. Emotionally I feel that what I read and write is of value, it's the logical argument I struggle with. Could my time be better spent folding laundry or visiting the needy?

This morning as I laid in bed at 4:30 am between Baby, who was recovering from a nightmare, and DH, who is recovering from a horrid cold, I found an answer that soothed my intellect a bit. (Although I was operating on 5 hours sleep, so who knows how logical it really is.) Writing is the development of concepts. The concepts are the skeleton, ideas that fit together to make a framework. Words put flesh on the skeleton. Muscles could be the plot and character development. While the skin could be the story itself - every single little word immaculately crafted. Without any of these aspects the written work is lacking.

Inside the flesh and bones of this creature, the written work, are organs which enable life - brains, heart, intestines, etc. These organs are the writer, hidden deep in the work. Without the writer - his or her heart, brain, intestinal fortitude, digestion of facts, and translation of thought into words with the tongue - the work doesn't exist, there would be no life in the flesh and bone.

Without flesh the skeleton can't operate, there is no interaction. I've never seen a mass of flesh without a skeleton but I can imagine that it would be disconcerting. Similar to the feeling I get when I read a book to it's conclusion only to be befuddled by it's lack of concept. Reading a story which has solid concepts at it's base but the author failed to pay enough attention to the finalizing details is like seeing a person without their skin - it's a person alright, but I'm not about to invite them over.

Writing is not just putting words on a page. Reading is not just looking at those words. There is development, thought, insight, inspiration, and more, more, more. There is value in reading and writing, fiction or non-fiction. Although I am reluctant to assign a great deal of personal value to some writing (I won't be specific because I don't want to offend ),there is a great deal of modern writing that doesn't have a skeleton. It is hard for me to invest in that type of writing. And giving my time to writing or reading is an investment. Although I do occasionally hang out with books with no skin, as beauty is more than skin deep, after all.

So the trick is finding and writing a whole creature - bones, flesh, and organs. Figuring this out is a step in the right direction for me... it'll be interesting to watch my work with words unfold. "Life is like a box of chocolates, you just never know what you're gonna get."

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And because I can't ever feel finished with my "Thanks For..." posts I'll end with this-

October 24, 2009

Today I spent 8 hours working at my new calling. Left the house at 7:30 am (ON A SATURDAY) and got home at 2:30. It all went well, despite R being the only one from our area to go to the activity- which is sad in so many ways.

We played a great game at the activity. You make cards with one huge letter on it then each person (6-8 people on a team) wears a letter on their front and one on their back. The referee reads out a word and the people have to line up correctly to spell the word before the other team. The kids had a great time and everyone has to participate to spell the words. You can use the most used letters in the alphabet and then look up words to go with them at this site. It's easier to use a single word and let a few people sit out each word than using strange words to incorporate every letter.

Tomorrow is another crazy day with the primary program followed by a 2 hour party for the kids. I have a short meeting with a leader and then drive for an hour to go to another meeting. It's a good thing I don't have a real job because I'll need Monday to recover. Things should be quiet for a week or two after that though.

My knees have felt great this week. The physical therapist is adding weights to many of my exercises and I've upped the resistance on the bike. So all is going well. I don't take pain pills anymore and hardly ice. Miracles do happen. I just want to hit someone in the kneecaps with a hammer for not recommending an orthopedist and physical therapy 2 years ago. I do worry that I'll have to do these exercises twice a day for the rest of my life though, that is not appealing. If I think about how many times I've counted to 30 doing all my reps it makes me go insane. I wonder if I could start writing out study materials in 30 letter sequences so I could memorize and exercise at the same time. Instead of saying "1, 2, 3 ..." I could say "A-N-T-H-R-O-P-O-L-O-G-Y..."

My stomach is another story. Discontinuing the pain pills helped (most of them irritate your guts) but I continue to have those other "fun" issues and lost 2 more pounds. The ultrasound is this week, it feels like it is taking forever. I told DH that when this stomach thing is resolved I want to go out to dinner at Buca Di Beppo - something nice and spicy and filling. I miss out on a lot of good food these days.

I have less than a week to finish Halloween costumes. What is Halloween without at least one late night sew-a-thon? That way Mom can go out as a zombie.

Yesterday I finished reading The Help. It was good, 4 out of 5. I read it in 4 days, a very quick read for a 400+ page book. It won't go on my list of favorites of all time, but it is definitely worth reading. One reason is that for a book about the civil rights movement things turned out too rosy in the end.

Despite it all we're all healthy and happy so don't consider any part of this post complaining. I think I'll do thankful posts for November again this year. Crazy or not, I'm looking forward to it. It does help my attitude. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, maybe my most favorite. I love it that the world hasn't found too many ways to exploit it.

October 10, 2009

My problem is never, 'I don't have anything to post about today' but rather, 'which thing do I post about today?' (or when do I have time to write the post?). Somewhere in answering that question I have to consider my family's general attitude about their lives going on display. A post I read recently reminded me that this won't just last for today, but forever and always and I don't want to harm any of my children's chances of becoming the President of LEGO Inc. So I tend to steer away from writing about them. But I'll write about myself, and ruin my future any old day.

Everybody gets lonely. So next time you're sittin' on your pity potty (come on, we all do it) thinking, "Why doesn't God tell somebody to bring me a casserole or send someone to do my laundry like a story I heard once..." Remember that the person you wish would come help you is sitting at home lonely, wishing you would go over and help them. So put your slippers on, grab some hot cocoa and head on over there. But don't do their laundry, because that just perpetuates those crazy stories. And I don't want anybody lookin' at my dirty underwear but me.

This is the last year I'm paying for school pictures. It will cost nearly $150 for 3 kids this year. And they don't even look very good (the pictures, not my kids. My kids are goooood lookin'!). In this day and age of digital cameras, downloading images and online photo processing with mail service it is so easy to take cute fall pictures in your own backyard. So forget it Lifetouch. From working in a photo studio I have a pretty good idea the moola they make off of every cute little school kid. Next year I will not bow to the momentum of tradition and peer pressure. Next year my kids will have their picture taken for the yearbook, but for the pictures we hang on the wall and pass out to relatives it's the digital camera. But this year, cha-ching! (The following photos are not to prove my photography skills, I took them in the .5 seconds before they went to school on picture day, but to attest to my good lookin' kids)

why is the camera focusing on the counter behind him and not his handsome face?

cheesey face with binki

Speaking of photos, I think it is finally time for our brood to suck it up and have another one taken - the dreaded family photo. It's been so long that Baby isn't in the last one, I wasn't even pregnant. We'll see if I can get that together for the Christmas card or not. Don't hold your breath though. Do I say this every year?

Our weather has been beautiful. Too bad I can't even go for a WALK! The doctor and physical therapists say not yet. Is this not ridiculous? I'm ready to just tell them, oops, I forgot my bus money, had to walk. Or something. It's gorgeous with the fall leaves and bright sun, crisp air and I'm not out there. Maybe I'll be really pathetic and steal one of those motorized carts from the grocery store. Not the same. And I'd probably laugh at myself so hard I'd fall of the cart and get run over by a pastry truck. On the bright side I'm almost off the horrid prescription so I'm feeling better, knees hurting, but other stuff better.

Mom, yes I got your email about Christmas names. I emailed you back but you didn't get it, I guess. (Should I have done a whole post on that?)

I started reading The Glass Castle last night. I'm halfway through it. It hits me in a personal way, but it's more tragic. It's like seeing a girl wearing a shirt just like yours and then watching her get hit by a bus. It messes with your head. Good cheery reading!

The kids have Monday and Tuesday off. Columbus, I like you for that reason. Did you know that Latinos (from the Americas) don't like it that we celebrate Columbus day? Ponder and discuss -

October 07, 2009

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?Sometimes. Chocolate is a good accompanyment. M&Ms or jellybellies. A drink is good too, hot chocolate this time of year. If you see me with a Starbucks cup it is their carmel apple cider, oooohh man.

But none of this is necessary.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

Yes, I mark. In fact when I get a book from the library it drives me crazy because then I wish I owned it so I could mark it. Even books that turn out to be mediocre end up with at least one good quote. Or even a bad book may even turn out to have something so bad that it's comical and should be marked. I need those little post it tabs to put in my library books so I'll stop dog-earring the pages (sorry library!)

Doesn't matter how you mark it, dog-ear, highlighter, pen, pencil. Just so you can find it quickly again to show your friend or refer to it later. Or to quote it on your blog ;)

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?A random piece of paper if there is one handy, dog ear, receipt, envelope, every once in a while I actually use a book mark. But then I worry about losing them, and they're so nice.

Did you get one of those National Parks bookmarks from the library? They are made with paper infused with seeds. If you put it on top of the soil and water it, wildflowers will grow. But they should have handed them out in the spring.

Laying the book flat open?I don't like doing that.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?I like to learn so I try non-fiction but honestly I rarely finish non-fiction. What does that say for my attention span? It's got to have a story line to keep me hooked. I usually go back later and finish the really good non-fiction.

When I read I do it to use my imagination, to expand my vision, and to escape from life. Non-fiction seems like the opposite of that.

Hard copy or audiobooks?hard copy. It is even difficult for me to read a book on the computer. I like to feel the book in my hands, to own it and to hold it. I also like to buy books to support the author and the book trade as a whole.

Audiobooks are good for long road trips without my husband when the kids are watching DVDS.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?I prefer to read to the end of a chapter because I never know how long it will be until I will return to a book. It could be a week and if I return to the middle of a chapter I'll be lost. But sometimes you just don't have a choice - if the baby is into the mayo and eggs you just gotta drop it and run!

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?No, never, though I usually can guess the word by the context.

What are you currently reading?The Princess Bride - Definately better than the movie. Just finished it this morning at the gym.

What is the last book you bought?The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls- the woman at the bookstore talked me into it. We were in a funny/weird conversation. Then the kids were there and she mentioned that the LOLcats book was half off with purchase so I bought that too. (I can't believe I just admitted that publicly.)

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?I usually read one at a time. But because of my current health issues (see my previous post) nothing is normal here.

But then if you count textbooks I guess I always read more than one.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?At night before bed. But now I'm too tired for that. It is lovely to curl up in the living room with a book but that doesn't happen uninterrupted much anymore either.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? Stand alone. It almost feels as if the author is being dishonest with me, holding something back, playing head games with me just to get me to buy another book with a series. Although I like the way Shannon Hale did her series. The books connected, each character a new spin-off book. So you didn't feel you missed something if you didn't read the other books but they built on each other if you did read them.

You can also remember what I said earlier about my short attention span.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?Wallace Stegner is my new favorite, I've read two of his and both have stayed with me- Crossing to Safety and Angle of Repose.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

All the fiction go together. Non-fiction mostly go together, except religious books, they go on a seperate bookcase because we have more of those. And the kid's books all go together in their rooms. Does anyone ever feel like they have enough bookshelves? Never enough, ever.

September 17, 2009

Does the name mean anything to you? I'm horrible at names anyway, but I didn't recognize it. I learned this name on a Smithsonian channel program. It was 10 people whose lives were transformed by the example of Nelson Mandela.

Adriaan Vlok held a high position in the Apartheid government of South Africa. He was in charge of police forces and instigated violence, many blacks were killed under his command. As Apartheid ended his position in government lowered. During this same time, 1994, his wife committed suicide. At one point he was offered amnesty through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission - they just wanted the truth to come out and the bodies of their loved ones returned home. Vlok was the only member of the elite government to come forward and offer what he knew.

Not only did he come forward, but he apologized. He humbly bowed before the feet of the mothers of those who had been killed and asked if he could wash their feet. It is said that they all cried as forgiveness started. What a moving story of a changed life, of a changed country.

That's what the TV program said. Then I started looking online. It's a regular Middle East happening all over again in South Africa. Tit*for Tat. They're saying - He didn't admit to everything and I caught him in a half truth and he's washing feet just to get attention. Now I don't pretend to completely understand their complicated situation then or now. The book Cry the Beloved Country made my heart ache for both sides. And I don't mean to be trite when I say this, but at some point you just have to move on.

Once I had a 'heated discussion' with a woman who claimed Martin Luther King Jr. was a good for nothin' adulterer who this world would have been better without. I tried to point out that he pushed our country in a direction it needed to go in, despite his mortal flaws. But she refused to listen.

No one on this earth is a saint. But at least some people are trying while others are busy looking for everything that's wrong.

*Being a person who has made mistakes and then gone on to ask forgiveness, I'll be the first to admit it's not pleasant to go back and in detail re-tell the sin. I would avoid it if I could, especially in public forums. I don't see much healing in it for anyone else either. Once it has been admitted to initially and forgiveness has been asked for, then leave it in the past and let the healing begin. Don't torture yourself (the sinner or the sinned against) with continuing to re-live the event. I believe this applies in the micro and the macro.

Neat-O, Not that I want it in my house or anything, but if you can disconnect the meaning your brain assigns to the clocks then the imagery is nice. Your brain probably associates with clocks negatively: time to get up, you're late, time to go to work. Hardly ever will you look at your watch and think oh, I love this watch because now it's time to have fun. You hardly ever look at a clock on vacation.